


A truce

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: F/M, Marilla knows, Shirbert, becoming friends, they're in love but don't know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 20:05:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15589698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: Anne and Gilbert walk home after school, and Gilbert is determined to be real friends with Anne.





	A truce

**Author's Note:**

> I don't normally write for this fandom but I'm obsessed so I had to.

It started with the Queens class. Miss Stacy was giving extra lessons to those studying to get into Queens college. 

 

Gilbert and Anne were always the last to leave, wanting to get as much out of the extra lessons as possible. The rivalry still strong between them.

 

Since Diana was not part of the class, Anne would end up walking home alone. But she found herself walking home with none other than Gilbert Blythe on more than one occasion, due to Miss Stacy insisting they both go home at last.

 

Gilbert would end up walking with Anne until the woods, where he would part from her. She would deny it if he asked, but she was secretly glad of his company as the evenings got darker in the upcoming winter months. Her imagination had a habit of running away with her still, and the stories of the haunted woods had meant she couldn't bare to face them alone in the dark.

 

“If you wanted to walk with me so badly,” Gilbert said suddenly, breaking up the comfortable silence they'd been walking in, “you could just say so.”

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Anne said, hugging her books tighter to her chest. “I’m merely trying to make sure you don't get ahead of me.”

 

“Oh really?” Gilbert tilted his head, that stupid smile on his face that Anne insists he does on purpose to annoy her.

 

She nodded, “If you're staying behind even later with Miss Stacy then I will too. Fair and square right? And I will  _ not _ have you beat me Gilbert Blythe on account of extra instruction that I am not there for.”

 

Again, he smiled at her in that stupid way that made Anne's stomach flutter, probably from sickness, when his eyes crinkled and his nose wrinkled.

 

“Why can't we be friends? Instead of this childish rivalry.” He stopped walking.

 

For one of the rare times in her life, Anne felt speechless. 

 

“That's just what we do.” She managed to say, slowly turning around to face him. 

 

It was in that moment that she realised how tall he'd gotten. He'd always been a little taller, but now she barely came up to his shoulders and had to tilt her head to look at him face on.

 

“Ok.” He nodded solemnly, and tipped his cap. “I guess I'll be going, now. Have a good evening.”

 

“Gilbert, wait.” She called after him, quickly retracting the hand she'd held out. 

 

He stopped.

 

“Perhaps...we could call a truce?” Anne watched him from behind. Could see his breath in the cold air. He was... laughing?

 

“You're laughing at me? After I called a truce?”

 

“Anne Shirley Cuthbert.” He finally said, now he was the one to turn to face her. “What will it take to get you to admit we're friends? A truce is hardly the same thing as friendship.”

 

“Perhaps a trial run of friendship then?”

 

Gilbert stepped towards her, sighing. “Alright. But you're letting me walk you home.”

 

“Why?” Anne felt that sick feeling again.

 

“Because it's getting dark. And if we're trying to be friends, I don't want my friend walking alone like that.”

 

“I hardly need a saviour.” Anne said, but then the trees rustled. Her rational brain said it was a fox, but her imagination told her it was the ghost of a lonely bride left at the altar who died of a broken heart, left to wander the woods alone in search of her true love.

 

“Fine. You may walk me home. But just this  _ once. _ ”

 

They walked back the rest of the way to Green Gables in silence, until they reached the front porch.

 

“Thank you, Gilbert.” Anne said through gritted teeth, telling herself that they were supposed to be friends now. But old habits die hard.

 

“We were destined to be good friends Anne, and you've thwarted destiny enough.” He smiled up at her and she rolled her eyes at him - a habit Marilla had called “improper” but Anne wasn't going to let go that easily.

 

“Fine.” She held out her hand and Gilbert shook it. “I'll accept your offer of friendship.”

 

“Good.” He nodded and stepped back. “Have a wonderful evening, Anne of Green Gables.”

 

She stomped back inside the house, but she couldn't help watch Gilbert's figure through the screen door.

 

“Was that Gilbert?” Marilla’s voice startled her. “That was rather polite of him to walk you home. He's becoming quite the gentleman.”

 

“I wouldn't have noticed.” Anne quickly hung up her coat, avoiding eye contact with Marilla.

 

Anne had an imagination, but this was the one  thing she couldn't make a convincing story about.Marilla knew all too well the charm of those Blythe boys...

 

**Author's Note:**

> I read the book and I really liked the part where Gilbert's like "we were destined to be friends, you've thwarted destiy long enough" or something like that. I just found it really cute.
> 
> Also *update*: I made an anne with an e sideblog on tumblr (@carrotsofavonlea) so yeah i might be writing a bit more for anne and gilbert so maybe check it out? ok, thanks xx


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